These are the many nicknames we have for Taatjes.
Monkey was given to him as a baby. Unlike his brother he always wanted to be held facing inward. He would wrap his arms and legs around your waist, plop his thumb in his mouth, and lay his head against your chest. With his red hair and all we always thought he looked like a little baby orangutan clinging on to his mom:) Thus he became our little monkey.
Firecracker has been given to him by his dad during this his 3 year old years. Taatjes has been an unbelievably laid back boy. He still is to a point. But he can only hold out for so long, and let someone push him for so long, and not get what he wants for so long, until snap - firecracker explosion. His wick is long but when it reaches its end it explodes with fury! Good luck settling him down in any controlled manor. Thus he is also our little firecracker.
Shark is a recent nickname. This summer Taatjes has been learning to swim faster than his older brother. He careens through the water with reckless abandon not caring were he is or how deep the water is getting or where mom or dad might be, he just has to keep swimming!!! Since he loved swimming so much and the pool was closing for the summer we signed him up for indoor swim lessons. He started them this past Saturday. He was thrilled that dad was taking him and dad has built up these lessons so big in his mind telling him he is a shark on the shark swim team -super cute to here him tell other people:) In true shark/Taatjes form here is a little insight into the wiring of our Taatjes. First off Taatjes is the smallest kid in a class of older, taller kids. Second he thinks he is a shark on a swim team. Third he never stops his movement in water. For this first lesson the instructors try to find out the kids comfort levels in water and how well they already swim. So they begin with some of the older kids asking them to place their faces under the water to see their response. One after the other these kids are reluctant to even place their face in the water let alone under it. Here comes Taatjes turn...Taatjes can you place your face in the water? Jump, splash. dive, he's off! Fully submerged headed off with the speed a shark after its prey! Wait Taatjes come back that's good enough! Everyone laughed as this the littlest boy took off without an ounce of caution. (Now this is nothing against a cautious child since his brother Trey would have joined the other kids with a modest face water submersion.) It is just so Taatjes our "shark"!
Justin painted a football field in our back yard! Of course his home team Michigan! The boys are loving it. That is the first thing they want to do when they wake up and we have to force them in at night crying. Tonight are family is in the "Rose Bowl"! Team Michigan (Trey and Taatjes) vs another college team of their choice. (Usually Ohio State or Notre Dame) Dad, mom, and Teague on the other team. Right now they are outside coming up with their plays for the game:) May the best man win. Most likely dad, mom, and Teague. We have to give Teague something over his brothers!!!
